“It wasn’t just the tourists that were confused, it was us native Washingtonians that were confused. It didn’t work for cars and it didn’t work for people,” Rogoff says of the old design. “You didn’t know where you were going to cross the street at the other end of the plaza.”

The old design also caused traffic jams that would back up around the circle.

Federal funding started flowing for the project in 2001. But more changes are on the horizon for the historic facility.

Over the next 20 years, Amtrak plans to expand capacity for high-speed and commuter rail. Amtrak is also working with Metrorail to expand the station capacity and to improve the First Street entrance, according to the Federal Transit Administration.